Dissatisfied over reply, Trinamool disciplinary body summons MLA

The internal disciplinary committee of Trinamool Congress Legislative party in West Bengal is not satisfied with the reply to the show-cause notice issued to Humayun Kabir, the MLA from the Bharatpur Assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, regarding his controversial remarks about Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari last week.

Kabir has been summoned to be present in front of the disciplinary committee on Tuesday to give an explanation to the queries on the points of dissatisfaction regarding his reply.

On Tuesday, he would also be intimated whether the disciplinary committee will recommend any further disciplinary action against him in the matter.

The show-cause notice was issued to him by State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay on March 13 during the ongoing budget session. Humayun Kabir, on March 15 gave a two-page reply to the one-page notice.

In his response, Kabir stated that he does not regret his remarks and does not consider them a breach of discipline. He said he would not withdraw his comments.

On Monday, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay told newspersons that repeated controversial statements by Kabir had impacted the party's ideological stand. “What he had said was from his personal space. But at the same time, he should understand that as an elected legislator he will have to refrain from making certain comments in public,” Chattopadhyay said.

He also said that when Kabir appears in front of the disciplinary committee he would be given certain instructions. “He will have to adhere to those instructions strictly,” Chattopadhyay said. However, he did not make it clear what disciplinary action, if any, might be recommended against him for repeatedly breaching the party discipline.

Kabir has a history of making controversial remarks that have embarrassed his party.

Last year, he faced censure for claiming that Hindus in the minority-dominated Murshidabad district would be "cut and thrown into the Bhagirathi River".

Trinamool Congress leadership in November last year slapped a show-cause notice on him for making anti-party statements.

After Trinamool Congress fielded Yusuf Pathan, the former Indian cricketer and the current party Lok Sabha member from Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency, in the 2024 general elections, Kabir had taken jibes at his own party leadership for fielding an “outsider” from the constituency.